Supreme Court Collegium Picks An OBC Judge From Tamil Nadu For Diversity In Bench

In an unprecedented move in picking judges for the top court, the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud cited for the first time backwardness of the judge’s caste for his selection as a SC judge. In its resolution, the collegium cited that Justice R Mahadevan who “is presently the Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court “was” eminently suitable for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court as he “belongs to a backward community from Tamil Nadu. His appointment will bring diversity to the Bench”.  The Collegium was aware that Justice R Mahadevan’s elevation would be upsetting the pecking order — that is because he ranks third in the order of presently serving judges of the Madras HC including the judges who have been posted as Chief Justices outside the Madras High Court. For the first time the collegium also recommended elevation of Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh who originally hails from Manipur. He was appointed as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 17, 2011. On the formation of the High Court of Manipur, he was transferred as a Judge of that High Court from the Gauhati High Court. On February 15, 2023, he was appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. He is due to retire on February 28, 2025. The Collegium described Justice Singh’s appointment to the SC bench “will provide representation to the North-East, and in particular he will be the first Judge from the State of Manipur to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.”